Yves here. We are sharing this post from Common Dreams to highlight the significance of Lula’s victory over Trump-supported right-wing candidate Flávio Bolsonaro. This also provides an opportunity for readers to engage in discussion before Nick Corbishley shares his insights, which I expect will happen tomorrow. While some may have been taken by surprise, I was not. A reader from Brazil emphasized the widespread concern about a potential return of the Bolsonaro family and how it mobilized many Brazilians to prevent this outcome. Additionally, videos showcased the impressive size of the pro-Lula rallies held across Brazil prior to the elections.
Many commentators are noting that this victory undermines Trump’s aim of establishing Latin America as a subordinate region. Although I have often expressed skepticism regarding BRICS, particularly about the disconnect between its messaging and tangible achievements, its mere existence poses a challenge to the Trump administration and imperialist forces. If Brazil had aligned itself predominantly with the U.S., it would have significantly harmed BRICS’ future prospects.
The article also highlights broader advantages stemming from Lula’s win, such as his achievements in reducing deforestation in the Amazon, a trend we hope will not only continue but expand.
It’s worth noting that Bolsonaro and his supporters are not willing to accept defeat quietly. Bolsonaro has not conceded to Lula and appears ready to challenge the results both legally and on the streets.
Both factions are pointing to discrepancies in the election. However, I remain unconvinced by initial critiques, especially when considering the heightened organization that followed the first round. Additionally, one can’t ignore the notable 2016 anomaly where Trump won against Clinton despite being vastly outspent:
This is the first time since 1989 that a candidate came behind in the first round of presidential elections in Brazil and then managed to win in the second round. Another big statistical anomaly is that Lula gained votes in 98% of the country – just stating some facts here https://t.co/qhFk84bKwN
— JustDario (@DarioCpx) October 26, 2026
However, the counterarguments persisted:
Mira como Lula perdió su ventaja en minutos https://t.co/9iMaraHbBP
— Simón Levy (@SimonLevyMx) October 25, 2026
Social media reactions continued to pour in:
Caralho, esse é sem dúvidas um dos vídeos mais espetaculares da história do Brasil!
Milhões e milhões de pessoas na Avenida Paulista comemorando a reeleição do Lula.
A ESQUERDA BRASILEIRA É UM FENÔMENO! https://t.co/LPx9DSVYMJ
— rodriguesˢᶜᶜᵖ (@NJanfren) October 26, 2026
Flávio Bolsonaro won 155 of Brazil’s 200 most evangelical municipalities. His father won 130 in 2022. The Christian Zionist political machine is expanding.
British imperial policy in the 1840s promoted Protestant institutions and Jewish restoration in Palestine. John Nelson Darby’s dispensationalism helped shape the prophetic worldview that later influenced Anglo-American Christian Zionism. Since 1977, Likud’s Revisionist Zionists made a strategic priority of partnering with Christian fundamentalists. The theology came first. The political alliance came later.
That theology has been turned against the Sermon on the Mount. Love of neighbor has been replaced with hatred of Muslims, and reason with prophecy.
Flávio’s promise to move Brazil’s embassy to Jerusalem and align the country with Israel against Iran gives that mobilization a geopolitical direction.
The pastors mobilize the faithful. The Chicago Boys write the policy. Wall Street and Washington collect the resources.
Lula won today. The machine lost the election, but not its personnel, its funding, or its plan. The pastors still have their congregations, and the congregations are still clamouring for the rapture and speaking in tongues.
— 🅰pocalypsis 🅰pocalypseos 🇷🇺 🇨🇳 🅉 (@apocalypseos) October 26, 2026
🇧🇷 SE ENTERRÓ SOLO
En pleno debate, Bolsonaro se burló de Lula al decirle “Nueves Dedos”. La respuesta de Lula fue tan demoledora que el propio Bolsonaro le terminó pidiéndole disculpas ante millones de televidentes.
Lula perdió uno de sus dedos trabajando siendo menor de edad.— El Prensero (@El_Prensero) October 24, 2026
ganó Lula, va a prohibir para siempre las casas de apuestas y van a desaparecer el flamengo y el palmeiras https://t.co/j6YKB404KQ
— Peñargrol (@CAPArgento__) October 26, 2026
The market reacted sharply:
BREAKING: Brazil’s stock market collapses nearly -30% and the Brazilian Real loses -10% after President Lula da Silva is unexpectedly re-elected.
Brazil’s stock market has lost over $200 billion of market cap today. https://t.co/XsHVYmepvV
— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) October 26, 2026
By Olivia Rosane, opinion editor and staff writer for Common Dreams. Originally published at Common Dreams
In a remarkable comeback, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has emerged victorious in Sunday’s runoff election against right-wing contender Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former Brazilian President and convicted coup-plotter Jair Bolsonaro.
Lula’s victory occurs despite the strong backing of U.S. President Donald Trump and his Big Tech supporters, who openly intervened on Bolsonaro’s behalf. Meta platforms disproportionately promoted pro-Bolsonaro content, affecting Lula’s visibility.
“Lula won, Brazil won, democracy won, the Americas won,” stated Pennsylvania Democratic House nominee Chris Rabb from Lula’s campaign headquarters in São Paulo following the announcement of results around 9:15 p.m. Brasília time. “They declared victory for Lula da Silva for his fourth term against a raging fascist, rubber-stamped for Donald Trump.”
Rabb emphasized that Lula’s victory signifies a pivotal moment for the left in Latin America, particularly as far-right parties have dominated national elections in the region since Trump’s second term began. “This is the first victory for democracy in this hemisphere since Trump took office,” he noted.
With 99.99% of ballots counted, Lula won 51.79% of the vote compared to Bolsonaro’s 48.21%. This marked him as the first Brazilian candidate since the restoration of democracy in 1985 to win a second-round election after finishing second in the initial round.
“I would like to thank the Brazilian people for the generosity they have shown me for a long time,” Lula expressed in his victory speech in São Paulo on Sunday night. “And in this second round, I want to especially thank the Brazilian youth, who took to the streets to defend democracy.”
After trailing Bolsonaro by two percentage points in the October 4 poll, Lula revitalized his campaign by advocating for the shortening of Brazil’s workweek from six days to five. His supporters actively protested against the far-right.
“These elections represent a historic victory for the Brazilian populace, who rallied to defend democracy from the threat of fascism,” Francesca Emanuele, a senior international policy associate at the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR), commented to Common Dreams while observing the elections from São Paulo, Brazil. “It was the Brazilian people who mobilized tirelessly from day one after the initial voting round to overturn the first-round results and secure Lula’s victory.”
Reginaldo Lopes, a federal deputy for Lula’s Workers’ Party, shared his excitement with The Guardian: “I feel incredible… This is Brazil telling the world that the extreme right is fascist, that the extreme right is against Black people, against the poor, against the state, against gay people… We are going to reorganize the democratic forces [in this country.]”
However, the path to victory was fraught with challenges as the Lula campaign reported issues like bus shortages in key cities like Salvador and São Paulo, prompting them to ask the Brazilian Supreme Court for a two-hour extension of voting. The court granted the request, extending polling hours from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Brasília time.
“Lula has triumphed despite facing unfair practices from Meta, interference from the Trump administration, and significant disruptions to public transportation on election day in major cities, where up to 50% of bus fleets were reportedly non-functional,” Emanuele stated. “These disruptions disproportionately affected working-class voters, who heavily rely on public transportation and are traditionally key to Lula’s electoral base.”
She continued, “Despite these challenges, Lula’s campaign managed to overturn a first-round result that seemed nearly impossible to reverse a few weeks ago. This is a major victory for the Brazilian people.”
Numerous advocates and lawmakers have hailed the election results as a repudiation of the far-right and, specifically, the Trump administration.
“During his campaign, President Lula framed the 2026 elections as a choice between ‘sovereignty or submission.’ Brazil has clearly chosen sovereignty,” wrote the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), who sent a delegation to monitor both rounds of Brazil’s elections.
Progressive Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) remarked on social media: “People around the world are standing up against extremism. With Lula in Brazil, they have just won. Authoritarian leaders always attack democracy because they know they cannot withstand the will of the people. Trump must accept the results and refrain from undermining Brazil’s elections.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) congratulated Lula on his “extraordinary reelection victory,” emphasizing Lula’s commitment to Brazilian workers and democracy as he embarks on his new four-year term.
“Lula’s hard-fought victory serves as an indictment of the right-wing surge across Latin America,” stated journalist Joseph Bouchard, who specializes in the region. “Apart from [Salvadoran President Nayib] Bukele, right-wing factions are increasingly viewed as corrupt, autocratic, and apathetic to systemic issues. Lula’s victory illustrates that the fight for democracy remains ongoing, even as the region grapples with its most regressive phase since the Cold War. Countries across the region often operate as extensions of U.S. interests, undermining rights, freedoms, and the principles of social democracy in a misguided attempt to address a failing war on drugs.”
Lula’s win carries global implications as he has successfully reduced deforestation rates in the Amazon to record lows after they surged under Jair Bolsonaro, who opposed environmental protections and Indigenous rights.
“Lula’s victory marks some much-needed positive news for our planet!” wrote Bill McKibben, co-founder of 350.org and Third Act. “I bet this decision will notably reduce how high the Earth’s temperature rises, ultimately saving millions of lives. Thank you, Brazil!”
Nonetheless, Lula faces significant battles ahead, as Bolsonaro stated it was “impossible to concede the election result” based on the extended polling hours, even though Bolsonaro’s team had also requested an extension in certain southeastern regions due to unfavorable weather conditions.
Bouchard observed, “Lula will contend with a far-right Congress, an ineffective Supreme Court, and persistent external pressures.”
“Trump’s silence regarding the election outcome is concerning, given Flavio’s refusal to concede and his demand for an annulment,” he noted. “Unfortunately, much of corporate media has legitimized these claims, despite the right’s concerted efforts to undermine democracy. However, the people can still prevail if the left remains steadfast. This could reinvigorate the demoralized left throughout the region, potentially steering the area back toward progress after decades of dictatorship and neoliberal transitions.”
Allies of Lula in the United States are calling for others to protect Brazil’s democracy from interference by the Trump administration and to take a stand against the far-right in upcoming midterm elections.
The DSA stated:
However, the fight goes on—the narrow margin of this victory indicates that ongoing struggle and mobilization will be essential. As global capitalism continues to exacerbate the very issues it creates, capitalists increasingly resort to right-wing authoritarianism. Brazil’s left-wing coalition will confront a right-wing Congress at home and a hostile Trump administration in the United States, alongside unfriendly capitalists both domestically and internationally in the years that lie ahead. We in the DSA reaffirm our solidarity with our comrades in the PT [Lula’s Partido dos Trabalhadores], PSOL [Brazil’s left-wing Socialism and Liberty Party], and Brazilian social movements in this quest for democratic self-determination.
This solidarity entails recognizing our nation’s complicity in threatening Brazilian democracy. The elections were beset by U.S. interference, whether through Trump’s politically motivated tariffs or the manipulation of social media by U.S.-based tech companies like Meta, aimed at subverting Brazil’s democracy in favor of far-right allies aligned in the “Shield of the Americas” and capitalizing on vital natural resources like lithium, cobalt, rare earth minerals, petroleum, and iron ore, which Brazil possesses abundantly and which Lula has pledged to safeguard as national assets. The DSA unequivocally condemns these meddling, imperialist endeavors. We advocate for a working-class foreign policy—one that emphasizes peace, multilateralism, and respects national self-determination, free from U.S. interference.
Rabb concluded with a call to action and a celebratory note: “This is a monumental moment for us in the United States. It signifies that Trumpism is declining, and it’s our duty to ensure that we vanquish the beast—be it injustice, oligarchy, or neoliberalism. Now is our time, folks. With November 3 approaching, I’m gearing up to celebrate with these Brazilians.”
